Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: -ammo- on March 05, 2003, 07:36:08 PM
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Did I get your attention?:D
(http://home.satx.rr.com/pointblank/films/women%20tanker%20crew.bmp)
by Capt Elizabeth Ortiz
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
02/06/03 - OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (AFPN) *
In one of her songs, country singer Shania Twain croons about all the things women do these days-they are judges, politicians, doctors and soldiers, to name a few. Not mentioned in the song, but occurring more frequently as the global War on terrorism continues, is something else: female fliers in combat missions over Afghanistan. Early on Jan 31, a KC-135 Stratotanker took off from Ganci Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, carrying more than 180,000 pounds of fuel and an all-female crew -- both pilots, a navigator and a boom operator.
The event marked the first all-female crew to fly an air refueling Mission into Afghanistan from Ganci. "We've been really lucky," said 1stLt Alison, the navigator on board. "You don't always deploy with a lot of women. The fact that we have four women on this deployment, and the fact that we make up a crew is amazing." After living with each other in the same tent for almost two months, the women were eager to fly on the same mission. "We've gotten along really well living together, so we were very excited to finally be able to fly together," said Capt Waynetta, one of the two pilots on the mission.
The women, including the other pilot, Capt Heather, and the boom operator, Senior Airman Lyndi, are all assigned to the 99th Air Refueling Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Ga. They have been deployed here since Dec 9. Once inside the tanker, the women began their pre-flight and take-off duties with an ease borne of plenty of experience and skill. Most of them have deployed before, to places like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iceland and Thailand.
Between the four of them, they total almost 4,000 flying hours in the KC-135. The flight path to Afghanistan traversed three of the "Stans." The country itself remains a dangerous place. Just a few days before the historic flight, coalition forces on the ground encountered the heaviest fighting since Operation Anaconda last year. Norwegian F-16s from Ganci dropped munitions in support from the air.
Once over Afghanistan, the crew got down to business, refueling F-16s from the European participating air forces of Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway. Based at Ganci, the aircraft provide combat air support to coalition ground forces.
In the refueling world, the motto is, "Nobody kicks bellybutton without Tanker gas." The crew emulated that motto when the boom operator connected two moving aircraft together on a night with 1 percent moon illumination.
"It's awesome knowing that I'm having a direct impact on the mission," said Lyndi on her 17th combat mission over Afghanistan. "The fighters couldn't put bombs on target without gas, and I'm the one who gets it to them," she said. More than 50,000 combat missions have been flown in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
In all, Lyndi refueled 10 European F-16s during the flight, off-loading 63,000 pounds of fuel. "I'm accomplishing something with my Air Force career," said Alison. This is especially true in the case of OEF, an operation that more than 1,800 women support, according to the public affairs office at Central Air Forces, the air component of U.S. Central Command.
"I've always thought the greatest thing I could do with my life was to serve my country and be willing to die for it -- for my family, my neighbors, people I don't even know," Waynetta said. "Now, we're here supporting troops in Afghanistan who are defending our freedom and way of life." Basking in the early morning sunlight, the tanker headed back to Ganci. As the snow-capped mountains poked out above the clouds, the women reflected on the significance of the flight. "All we wanted was to fly together," said Lyndi. "I'm so excited we got to do it."
"We believe in equality," Waynetta said. "But, the fact of the matter is, we're still girls and we're doing something our grandmothers couldn't do.
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Am I seeing double or did you post this twice?
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Nice to see there are some American women who have a clue.
They aren't all dimwitted hairy protestor hags.
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Hey Miko.. have yer daughters read this.
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Now just think what happens durring PMS time :eek:
heheh j/k
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LOL vulcan. extending refueling probe. :D
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looks like a great AF recruiting ad :)
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Dibs on the blonde.
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Oh my, if i could just lower those flight suit zippers a wee bit...
I worked on KC 135s and flew many many sorties. They must LOVE the spartan bathroom facilities the 135 has...
But the boom pod is lushly padded. Send the blonde to the boom, please :cool:
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Very nice... I'm showing this to my daughter.
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10 yard penalty for using a bmp file. :D
Daniel
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What no Flight Engineer ?
Krotki, 308th City of Cracow (Polish) RAF
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Originally posted by funkedup
Nice to see there are some American women who have a clue.
They aren't all dimwitted hairy protestor hags.
Or post potatos :eek:
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Hmm, I think they have a secret mission over there too, that dang plane is lucky to have those women driving her around.. But in this case of being a refuling tank "Him" around....
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Nice pix..:)
I bet they kick ass!
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scariest photo i ever saw
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Hangtime: Hey Miko.. have yer daughters read this.
What's the point? Oh, I see. Since the article never mentioned that either of those girls were raped in the academy or coerced to put out or failed to report those happening to others, such things never happened and 20/20 expose was a complete lie with actors portraying the general and the cadets.
Boy, was I ever wrong... :)
Anyway, I do not think that flying a huge fuel truck would be a good career for my daugter. Four years of service as a riflegrunt and then going back home to do what a woman should do is the extent of my ambitions.
miko
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to do what a woman should do
I feel sorry for your daughter.
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midnight Target: I feel sorry for your daughter.
What, having and raising you was such a terrible ordeal for your mother rather than a greatest joy a human could have? Than I pity you both. :(
miko
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wow they all look so young...at first I thought they were kids on a school trip or something
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My Mother was selected as one of the finest elementary school teachers in the Country in 1975. She Graduated college summa cum laude and raised 4 children with the help of my father. Of those 4 children 1 has a Phd, 2 have Masters degrees and then there is me (lowly BS). All of us are healthy and independent.
She had the joy of children and a fulfilling career. When she passed away her 4 children had over 1000 mourners packed into the church behind them. She affected many more lives than that.
Take your pity elsewhere, and let your daughter be all that she is capable of being.
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You maybe in for a surprise when she grows up to be a brilliant young woman with her own mind, own life, and own ambitions.
I don't feel sorry for her at all, children have been growing up to be what they will despite their parents ambitions for ages. :)
just sayin.
Originally posted by miko2d
Anyway, I do not think that flying a huge fuel truck would be a good career for my daugter. Four years of service as a riflegrunt and then going back home to do what a woman should do is the extent of my ambitions.
miko
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Cripes! She could end up one of them ()&#$(@#$ unionized airline pilots!
Cod ferbid!
;)
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Originally posted by miko2d
Four years of service as a riflegrunt and then going back home to do what a woman should do is the extent of my ambitions.
miko
MT, Miko was talking about himself........... He did say HIS ambitions didn't he?
As to the real purpose of the thread, a BIG to those women who are serving their country.
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midnight Target: She had the joy of children and a fulfilling career.
Great life indeed. What made you think I wanted anything different for my daughter to warrant your original remark?
miko
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Maverick: MT, Miko was talking about himself........... He did say HIS ambitions didn't he?
No, Mav - MT was correct. I was talking about my parental ambitions for my daugher's upbringing, of course.
I hope it was not a snide remark towards women that it would be beneath a soldier's dignity to come home and "do what a woman should do" - raise a good family. Nah, it would be out of character for you. Just be carefull - such remarks are easily misinterpreted.
miko
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Must have my gama to high they all look like Blonds.
As ex USAF I say WTG ladys keep up the good work and Godspeed. X 4
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wow they are great women...there at least 10 years older than me and IM atracted (must be ragint teenage horomones)
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Originally posted by miko2d
Maverick: MT, Miko was talking about himself........... He did say HIS ambitions didn't he?
No, Mav - MT was correct. I was talking about my parental ambitions for my daugher's upbringing, of course.
I hope it was not a snide remark towards women that it would be beneath a soldier's dignity to come home and "do what a woman should do" - raise a good family. Nah, it would be out of character for you. Just be carefull - such remarks are easily misinterpreted.
miko
Miko,
Please get this straight. I know it will be hard but maybe you could have someone explain it to you if you get stuck. I was poking fun at you. You want to take it otherwise it's your problem. not mine. I tend to say what I think and don't worry about misinterpretations much as it's pretty damn clear. Easy misinterpretation is not my problem, it's yours.
As to what a woman should do, that is her choice and I don't expect her to be limited to staying at home and being a baby machine. Unless that is HER choice. I have some acquaintences that feel a woman should be limited in what they should do, I pity them and hope their daughters will have a greater intelligence to make their own choices and not fall into a stereotype. This is even more so when the daughter is an adult and should be free to make their own decisions without having to rely on a parent's judgement or permission if that is the case.
Now about your veiled threat, just what are you going to do if I'm "not careful"??
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Originally posted by gofaster
Dibs on the blonde.
Heh, which one?
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Originally posted by funkedup
Nice to see there are some American women who have a clue.
They aren't all dimwitted hairy protestor hags.
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Maverick: I tend to say what I think and don't worry about misinterpretations much as it's pretty damn clear.
To you. It's when you translate what you think into what you type that it may get fuzzy.
As to what a woman should do, that is her choice
So you do not believe in parental influence and responcibilities and rights to bring up their children in their family's traditions? Oh, my. I was arguing with all the socialists in defence of private property and here you believe that children should be socialised... Typical socialist blabber about substituting the abstract "freedom" and "choice" (as slong as those are approved by government, no doubt) for family and parental responcibilities.
..and I don't expect her to be limited to staying at home...
And where did you get that my idea for a women to be limited in any way? Was that my determination to induce her to enlist in infantry as a private? What, you think I have a standing army right at home to provide that opportunity without stepping out? Or do you imply that it is so common for women in US to elect an officer career that suggesting that she only becomes a private is unfair and limiting?
Unless that is HER choice.
Right. And parents should not ever talk to their children from birth to adulthood in order not to affect the perfect randomness of that "choice".
I have some acquaintences that feel a woman should be limited in what they should do, I pity them and hope their daughters will have a greater intelligence to make their own choices and not fall into a stereotype.
I have some aquitances too who failed to tell their highly intelligent daughters that by the time they accomplish their brilliant careers and make lots of money, their ovaries will be shot to hell and all that money will buy them is a couple of puppies to spend time with.
Women are limited by nature in what and when they can do. Men are limited too - they cannot bear babies, for example. But at least a man can become a parent well into his advanced age.
This is even more so when the daughter is an adult and should be free to make their own decisions without having to rely on a parent's judgement or permission if that is the case.
And how could I make my (ex-military) daugher do somehing she does not want once she is an adult and I am done with her upbringing? And why shouldn't a child heed his parent's judjement once he/she grows up?
Though I see the way you propose to raise them without any influence and interfence, the parents would be no different than any other strangers, so their judgement should be equaly disregarded...
Hmm. It looks like the whole concept of parents affecting their children personality through the process of upbringing before they reach adulthood is completely foreign to you. Apparently the only kind of parental influence on child's choices you can conceive of is some kind of "command style". Do not worry. When I talk about influencing my children, that's absolutely not what I mean.
You may also wish to check your memory - you have trouble remembering a content of a paragraph you've just read. Do you really believe that I would entertain any hope of directing and denying permissions to a trooper just-retred from a combat branch of military service? I did mention that I plan to have my daughter to do whatever stuff (OK, I admit, having children among other things) after the military service.
Unless you know something about US military service that I don't? Does it turn all recruits into parent-fearing no-initiative rutabagas that can be confined to house and limited to being "baby machines"?
Now about your veiled threat, just what are you going to do if I'm "not careful"??
Well. If you statemets appear to imply that doing womans's job would be beneath male's dignity, the people would just think you are a sexist. That's all.
miko
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I bet their highly intelligent daughters were shocked to find out that there is a optimum age range for having babies.
how could their fathers fail to impart that information to them!!!
there should be a law!!
lazs!! get thee to the walmart station!!
Originally posted by miko2d
I have some aquitances too who failed to tell their highly intelligent daughters that by the time they accomplish their brilliant careers and make lots of money, their ovaries will be shot to hell and all that money will buy them is a couple of puppies to spend time with.
miko
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So you do not believe in parental influence and responcibilities and rights to bring up their children in their family's traditions?
OK Miko, this is part of your response to "What a woman should do".
So why don't you spell it out for us lowly numbskulls. What should a woman do? Be careful now.
Regarding nature allowing men to "be a parent" to an advanced age, if you mean sperm donor I agree. That however has nothing to do with "parenting" and I think you know it.
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I have some aquitances too who failed to tell their highly intelligent daughters that by the time they accomplish their brilliant careers and make lots of money, their ovaries will be shot to hell and all that money will buy them is a couple of puppies to spend time with.
Women are limited by nature in what and when they can do. Men are limited too - they cannot bear babies, for example. But at least a man can become a parent well into his advanced age.
My wife just read that... and said she'd be willing to pay money to see someone cut miko's freakin balls off! 'just to see if that bellybutton enjoy's growin old as a eunch.' I'm still laffin! I better stop.. or she'll get pissed at me for laffin so hard.
She said to tell yah she pitys yer kids, miko.
I find it kinda funny.. Miko doesn't want his daughters technicaly trained.. he just wan't his kids trained as riflemen to help him chase the disenfranchised off his property. Hehehhehhehheee..
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I was going to respond to miko's post but the previous two posts already beat me to it. It appears I did not misinterpret your post. Well said Gents.
Miko I am still waiting to hear what you are going to do if I am not careful. Please be prompt in responding as I won't bother to read much more of your tripe in the future.
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I've never wanted to refuel so bad in my life.
MiniD